jigokufever | June 2022 Test Drive

1. CLEAN UP

The curse has broken, finally banishing the oppressive air around the city and the many sightless eyes of the accursed haniwa. Life will have to return to normal now but first there is lingering clean-up that must be attended to:

SHUTEN CLAN

The Shuten Clan is out in force to rebuild damaged storefronts. Eager oni appear in their festival happi, singing oni working tunes. You can pick up the words easily enough, join in and help out. The mood starts bright, but after a number of unlucky accidents there is less singing and more grumbling. The cursed energy left behind has made all of you much more prone to workplace accidents but the storefronts need to be scrubbed, broken glass needs sweeping, new furniture needs construction. There are any number of thumbs smashed by hammers, hands cut on saws, heads hit with falling debris or that board of wood you didn’t see someone carrying towards you. It’s a cursed day to be out on the job.

Rewards will come in the form of free drinks for a week from specific bars and a generous amount of chips for the casinos. If you aren’t of age to drink or gamble? Well… they’ll look the other way this time. Have fun.

It should be noted that the uniform -- a happi, a hachimaki, and fundoshi -- is required. The Shuten Clan is very traditional, after all.

TAMAMO CLAN

The bathhouses in Tamamo clan territory remain full of bloodied water. They need to be drained and scrubbed to make them new again. However, reaching the drains is a tricky business. You can’t simply reach in to pull out the plug, you will have to wade into the water to twist it free. Easy enough, right?

Unfortunately, residual curse energy has made this a very dangerous task. Phantasmal hands will reach out and try to drag you under as you get too close to the drain. The phantasms can be distracted, so you’ll need some teamwork to succeed. Your reward is a significant amount of free bath coupons. Some of the advertised baths even have “special” properties. Take the chance to relax, you probably need it.

Those that are rejuvenated in the newly purified baths will find themselves with seemingly limitless vigor. That vigor may sometimes manifest in the form of desperately needing to fuck the first thing willing to do so. Which might turn out somewhat embarrassing...

SUTOKU CLAN

The residual cursed energy in the Sutoku Alliance territory has congregated in their many arcades. The prizes in the UFO catcher machines seem off and they keep shifting around. If you happen to win a prize, the prize slot snaps shut on your hand with amazing force: the machine out for blood. To clear the curse, the prizes need to be removed from the machines and purified with the help of a local shrine maiden. Unfortunately, the key ring to open the machines has been stolen by some of the unruly prizes. You will need to use your UFO catcher skills to fish it back out.

Try not to lose any fingers.

Other machines are shooting tokens out of their coin slots at astonishingly painful speeds. A strange phenomenon, as even the machines that take swipe cards are doing it. Where are those tokens even coming from? You will have to get the machines open and give them a deep cleaning to get all the residual blood off the coins and mechanisms. You need the same keys that are stuck inside the UFO catcher…. Better hope you can fish out the one you need.

For your troubles, you will be given unlimited free plays for a month. Perfect for winning a totally-not-cursed prize for your sweetie.

ENMA DEPARTMENT

It’s the Department of the Enma’s turn to go begging for good will. They are considered to be mostly responsible for the way the cursed haniwa were handled in the first place. Enma souls should get out on the streets and see what the people need: Food, clean water, housing repairs and maintenance, as well as exorcisms. They’re all high on people’s priority lists and most people want it done pronto. Try not to get snappy with the angry people, the department’s reputation is on the line.

The Enma is slated to give a press conference at some point. It's up to the rest of the Department to assure that there will be reception to his words. They are likely to be of grave importance to the rest of the city.

A hard day’s work is its own reward, but you’ll also get a day pass to a theme park on the edge of the city – in the name of community outreach, of course.

2. GHOST SHARKS

The very streets themselves are treacherous with residual curses. The isonades may have been intimidated out of town for the moment but the anger of their ancestors lingers in the bloody puddles that still glisten in the streets. Come too close to these puddles and spectral sharks will lunge from beneath the surface: Blood for blood! Lives for lives!

While spectral in nature, the teeth on these sharks can still do real harm to anyone they lash out at. They don’t seem to take damage in kind, but will pop and disperse for a moment when struck. The ghostly sharks are being populated by a magic totem that has been partially buried in the dirt of a local park. Destroy it and the sharks will disappear.

Unfortunately, a pack of snotty local children have taken a shine to this magic totem. They are not keen to let you take it from them, nor break it. It’s theirs. It’s special. If you’re feeling brutish or cruel, you can fight the children or deceive them, but your boss would probably suggest you try to bargain with them for appearance’s sake. They’re entirely unreasonable though, as children can be, and it will be quite a chore to get them to agree to your terms.

3. CURSED CORNERS

There are certain corners and alleyways which are simply predisposed to gather cursed energy. These areas are still haunted enough to affect the reality around you. You may experience hallucinations or visions of lost loved ones, past regrets, personal failings. These visions are played out in the area for all to see. You will remain frozen in place until your moment is done, or someone brave comes to pull you out.

Now that the worst of it is over, some of the more morbid and voyeuristic members of the public may be lurking around these haunted areas, waiting to see what horrors will be unveiled. They have out their phones and their cameras to record the show.

The cruelest of the spectators provide commentary to their social media followings as they observe. Anything for that monetization!

The biggest of the streams is a kerakera onna who goes by her channel name: Lipsticki. She leans in over the rooftops to cackle loudly at people’s misfortunes and give petty, scathing commentary about their misdeeds and failings.

4. THE ENMA SPEAKS (PLOT RELEVANT)

Outside the hospital where the Enma was being treated, there is a huge press gathering. The judge arbiter has been deemed fit enough to release. Hungry for word, journalists from every publication swarm the area. Most press-outlets in the city are controlled by the Sutoku Alliance, who have a vested interested in interrogating the Enma.

A number of other onlookers have tacked on as well, including Lost Souls both old and new. Lost Souls may even find themselves ordered to attend the statement by their faction.

It is assumed that the Enma must have something of grave importance to say, after all.

The Enma approaches the podium. He is dressed in his usual suit, his crown, and his stern expression; it puts a hush over the crowd through its tremendous pressure alone. No questions have been asked, yet, but a statement has been prepared. He clears his throat:

"The cause of the curse, the enemy of Jigokucho, is... Haniyasu. The Department's focus will be shifting to determining our next action in regards to this entity. That is all."

Just like, the Enma's secretary and a retinue of armored shinigami move to flank the Enma and guide them to a waiting limo down the steps. The press yells their questions over one another, but are pushed back. The Enma doesn't even seem to perceive them, simply focusing on getting into the car.

Unfortunately, if you're a representative for one of the factions -- especially the Department of the Enma -- that makes you fair game to hound for questioning too. Do you stand your ground or try to run away?

[[banner art by s-tokimura]]

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NEWBIE TOP LEVELS

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

There's always something happening. [ She gestures to the pool of water, from which agonized moans are rising. The hatred they feel, the malice spinning around in that bath, is palpable. She shrugs it off. ] Like that. Could try again!

[ She's teasing. ]

Paying it forward is good and all, but you don't have to worry about it. I've been dealing with these guys forrrrrr a while now.

Ahaha, I think I'll pass...!

[ Nearly dying had been an experience, but no thanks. Besides, she'd die before and had no intent to take any more risks than strictly necessary to see her contract. You can't go hunting for a boyfriend-slash-girlfriend when you're dead, after all! ]

So you've dealt with them before...? [She tilted her head.] Are they ghosts or demons or something...?

A curse. [ It's not very interesting, is it? In the grand scheme of a world full of demons and monsters, where spirits walk the realm as freely as those governing it, a curse seems terribly impassive, doesn't it? ]

Someone else's hatred, their anger, and pain... all of that malice shot right at us, bubbling away under our noses.

[ As one of the three who helped to concoct the incense, Aerith still has some access to it. She pulls it from her pockets (perhaps this, in truth, is why she hadn't been interested in jumping in after Monika. It's a nicer way to look at it, at least.), and holds the little sachet out for her to take. ]

Do you know how to light incense? These are just the remnants of that curse, but this should still work on it.

[ A curse... Yeah, it does sound tame in comparison. Yet she does find it more horrifying than the other things she had seen. If you were killed by a monster or a demon, well that was it. Even if your pain was very slow and gruesome, death was death.

But having your emotions persist beyond death... All of those things you went through in life, all the regrets and remorse, all the anger and hated- All of it taking over once dead. Now that was horrifying, wasn't it? And she could relate to it a little bit too much.

It might very well have been her fate after the player had deleted her, should her remaining data have persisted. ]

That's sad...

[ She sounded genuine, turning to Aerith to take the sachet. ]

I do. Thanks. [She looked at the sachet for a moment, pondering.] Will that put them at peace? Or just drive them away?

[ For a girl who looks nothing like her, Aerith finds herself thinking that Monika is taking much the same approach to this information and situation that she would have. In a position where she was simply getting the fall out, and nothing more, she would want to know how this affects the curse, the people that seem to be stuck within it.

The tricky thing is, she has no idea if this is just a emotion given form, or not. At the very least, she knows what her intention was in making the stuff. ]

The first thing. Me and some friends made it to calm the area. It works to purify the curse itself. Whoever's in there isn't hard, promise.

[ With an encouraging smile, she inclines her head. ]

There's only so much we can do for them, now. But be careful.

[ They're murderous, all things considered. ]

[ Maybe that's an hair bow thing. They have this much in common, if nothing else. Regardless, Monika seems reassured at what Aerith replied. She smiled though at the words of warning. ]

Don't worry. [She paused.] I may not look like it, but I'm not entirely unaccustomed to weird things.

[ Understatement. Not that kind of weird things, but... Well, after what she'd gone through, she was quick to adapt. And if the "spirit" had been her- Well, she hoped she would have been put out of her misery. Allowed to rest in peace. Not just driven away. It was a selfish way to think perhaps... But her experiences had given her some new perspective on things. ]

I think I'll be good now. Unless you hear me screaming, then that means something went wrong ahaha! [She closed her eyes and beamed.] Thanks, Aerith.

[ That's a new friend and a seemingly reliable person, right? Well, maybe not friends yet... She's not exactly the most social of butterflies. ]

[ Something about this girl settles upon her in strange ways, as if she is both here and not. There is a lot on her mind, Aerith deduces, many things she may feel she cannot talk about, or things that are impolite in new company. For a moment, she simply stares, and smiles lightly, considering how much of their interaction has informed her a great deal about Monika. ]

You're trying to get rid of me.

[ Finally, she speaks, jokingly. With a sweeping motion, Aerith stands and brushes the skirt of her pink dress off, before dipping once more to grab hold of the bloodied mop. It may not be in the best shape now, but with a little elbow grease, she's sure it'll be good as new. Blood may stain, but they can wash it out. ]

That won't do. You'll have to learn to work with everyone here, Monika, and besides... Like I'd let you get in that tub again without making sure you can actually swim.

[ The best way to make friends is to simply act friendly. ]

[ Trying to get rid of her...? Oops! Was that the impression she'd given? Even if it sounded like Aerith was joking, that wouldn't do, not at all. ]

Oh, no no...! [She laughed awkwardly.] I just don't want to be a bother, ahaha! Besides, I'm used to working alone.

[ Well, kinda. It was strange. So many memories of having worked with others, and she couldn't tell if any of them were even real. There was only the time following her epiphany she knew with certainty had truly happened. Everything else was so foggy...

Well no matter. She smiled and raised a finger, answering her question. ]

Like a fish. But you're right. [She nodded.] I guess I need to get used to things being different here.

[ It's going to take some time but all things do, right? ]

June 2022 Test Drive

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